Apple already offers several browsers, like Incognito, Aquari and Shaking Web, besides its own Safari browser at the iPhone app store. But all of those use Safari’s own software rendering engine or other Apple components.

Apple already offers several browsers, like Incognito, Aquari and Shaking Web, besides its own Safari browser at the iPhone app store. But all of those use Safari’s own software rendering engine or other Apple components.

Opera Mini is the first browser, Mr. Odland said, that has been approved to use its own software engine and components on the iPhone.

“The Apple announcement is good news for Opera, but I don’t think it will be a game-changer,” said Carolina Milanesi, an analyst in London for the research firm Gartner. “The browser experience with Safari on the iPhone is fine. That is partly why the iPhone is so popular. That will be tough competition for Opera and the other rival browsers.”